after brushing

Sep 8, 2008

Hi Dr Bob,
I would like to congratulate you on this great site where information is extensive and clear.it goes without saying,you are doing a great job by answering people questions and adding a touch of hope for those who need it particularily the WW.how great it is to have an expert like you encouraging us who sometimes find no one to calm their fears and answers their questions in a professional manner.i have searched the archives and found several answers regarding cunnilingus but i could not find one where the performer brushed his teeth half an hour or so before the act.yep!thats me stupidly doing it ,however i dont bleed at all during brushing and i have a very good oral health particularily my gums.i had 2 3rd generation elisa done so far (axsym microparticle) first one 6.5 weeks after the encounter and 8.5 weeks as well.i know you are going to advise me to have one at the 12th week mark but i would like to know where do i stand so far and what should i expect.i am really worried and i need your help.no doubt you receive thousands of emails but i hope that i am lucky in receiving an answer from you.whether you are going to answer me or not i still send you my best wishes and i will definitely donate to your extremely notable cause very soon .

Response from Dr. Frascino

Hi,

Thanks for your kind comments. They are warmly appreciated.

The tooth brushing story has to do with the possibility that aggressive brush action might lead to gum trauma, which, in turn, could increase the risk of HIV acquisition. Certainly, not all tooth brushing leads to compromised gums. So this is basically nothing more than a general precaution, not a skull-and-cross-bones warning! Your negative ELISA tests at 6.5 and 8.5 weeks are extremely encouraging and your overall HIV risk is extremely low. However, you are indeed correct: if you want a definitive and conclusive HIV-antibody test result, you'll need to retest at the three-month mark.

Thanks for your pledge of a tax-deductible donation to the Robert James Frascino AIDS Foundation (www.concertedeffort.org). In return, I'm sending you my good-luck karma that your definitive three-month HIV test remains negative. I'm confident it will!

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